The Importance of a Regular Pap Smear

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of this important commemoration, we're focusing this blog on the best way to screen for this cancer: the Pap smear. 

Raising awareness about this screening has moved the needle for women across the country. At one time, cervical cancer was a leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Since the mid-1970s, mortality rates have dropped by more than half, largely thanks to screenings like Pap smears. 

More good news: Doctors don’t necessarily recommend an annual Pap anymore. In fact, most women only need one every three years. 

At Elite Gynecology, our team can use your annual gynecology appointment to determine the best cadence for you, depending on your immune system, family history of cervical cancer, and other factors specific to you. 

When you do need your next Pap smear, we perform it as quickly and comfortably as possible at our office location most convenient for you: Manhattan, Forest Hills, or Rego Park, New York. 

Two major reasons Pap smears are so important

To bring extra awareness to the importance of cervical cancer screening, we highlight two compelling cases for getting regular Pap smears: 

#1: Symptoms don’t show up right away

For most women, cervical cancer doesn’t cause symptoms until it reaches advanced stages. By that point, the cancerous cells have likely spread beyond your cervix. 

In other words, you shouldn’t put off this screening just because you feel fine. 

#2: Cervical cancer is easiest to treat when caught early

If we catch the cancerous cells before they have the chance to spread, treatment tends to be faster, easier, and more comfortable for you. When the cells are still precancerous, we can often use a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) to eradicate them. 

Early cancer cells can sometimes be removed with a simple biopsy. However, as those cells have a chance to grow, the scale of needed treatment grows, too. 

As the cancer cells spread, you might need to have your cervix removed (trachelectomy) or your cervix and uterus (hysterectomy). If the cancer spreads outside that area, you may need systemic treatment like chemotherapy. 

Finding the right cadence for your cervical cancer risk

The good news about cervical cancer is that it tends to grow slowly. As a result, for most women, getting a Pap smear every three years provides the needed protection. 

That said, factors such as a weakened immune system or a history of abnormal Pap results make you a candidate for more frequent testing.

Our team can help you find the right rhythm of cervical cancer screenings for you. Anytime you’re due for a Pap smear, our all-female team can perform the screening at any of our offices. It only takes a few minutes. 

Regular Pap smears give you a way to defend against cervical cancer. If it’s been a few years since you’ve had this kind of screening, call Elite Gynecology or book a Pap smear appointment online today.